


Death Without Honor

by Neo_Naughtager



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate History, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, I Tried, Multi, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-10 05:55:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19900909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neo_Naughtager/pseuds/Neo_Naughtager
Summary: Master Light Yagami, the son of a well-to-do Samurai, grows bored of his seemingly perfect and uneventful life he lives. He knows of the ongoing conflicts in the country, but knows there is nothing he is capable of changing. But when he stumbles upon a magic text and befriends a god, the tides of the rising war just might change.A medieval twist on the story you thought you knew.





	Death Without Honor

He couldn't wait for this to be over.

This was, by far the worst part of the ever so stale routine he'd become accustomed to. The brunette picks himself up off of the dirt, clutching the wooden staff as he tries to balance himself. Head pounding, he breathes deeply and waits, readying his stance. Nothing comes.

"That's enough for today, I think. You need to try harder, Light-kun."

"I am trying..." Light huffs. "But you know how I feel about this... What's the point in training if I never do anything, anyway?"

The older man looks down at him and sighs. "We've been over this, and I don't think I need to say it again."

Light looks at his father and sighs. It was pointless to argue. "One more round?" He flashes a small smile, suddenly aware of the aching of his muscles.

Soichiro smiles, ruffling Light's hair. "Not this time... I'll be in town for awhile, so run on and tend to your mother."

The youth frowns. "Is it errands? I could help if you-"

"That won't be necessary. Now head on home, your mother needs you." He brushes loose soil off of Light, huffing softly. "Directly home, I might add. No mucking about. Remember what I told you."

Light sighs in defeat. _Of course_ , he thinks to himself as he gathers his things in preparation for the hike back to the estate. _Of course I won't forget. How could I ever forget?_ He slings the bag over his shoulder, heading up the road. Softly cursing himself for not having brought a horse with him down here, Light focuses on the journey ahead.

_It's about being prepared, about being well-rounded, the code, honor, and blah blah blah._ He huffs, pulling the bag tightly and continuing on. _What's the purpose of it all if it's never put to use?_ He passes a group of people, listening to them mutter amongst themselves- something about the downfall of some _daimyo_ or another. Light scoffs. They were always at one another's throats for some reason, and the fall of a family was not uncommon. It left many a samurai without work, something his father would worry about. Not that it would ever happen, his family's lord was never seen to begin with. Who would ever have anything against a man they've never met?

_Chaos,_ he thinks. _All it is is chaos_. Light notices some odd looking clouds in the distance, but doesn't think too much of it. _The world is in a chaotic place, and there isn't anything to do about it..._ Light clutches the hilt of his short sword, but quickly relaxes his grip. There was no point in lashing out, there wasn't really much of a point to anything anymore. He had left the town now, treading through the woods on a path he knew well. When his attention strayed, he found himself tripping on some roots, cursing as he heard the thunder cry in the distance. His mother would be upset if he didn't make haste. Light picks himself up, dusting his clothes as he continues on. _Where is the justice?_

As he preps to continue, something falls from the trees above.

He unsheathes his short sword, suddenly on high alert. It had dropped into the shrubs below, and the male approached it with caution. Raising his blade to strike, he pulls aside the branches and leaves gently.

Tangled in the brush was... a book? He took a step back, surveying the area carefully. What sort of bait was this? Light huffs, turning back to the bush. It was bound in a dark leather or something similar, almost black. The sky grew gray overhead as he snatched the tome from the branches. Dusting it gently, he reads the letters carved in sharp white. 

"Death... Note?" Light mutters softly, glancing up now and then to check the area. Opening the book, he reads the first line, written in a scraggly, rushed hand. 

**_The human whos name is written in this notebook shall die._ **

Light almost drops the book. "What kind of-" He stops himself. This had to be some type of morbid trick, there was no other explanation. He tosses the book to the ground, huffing. _It was a test,_ he thinks. _Just a test. Who would be so sick as to do something like that?_ He moved on from the tome, heading on his way home.

* * *

The young man lays on his futon, sighing after all that's occurred. Light rolls onto his side, reaching into pack and taking out the book. He didn't have any intention on using it, he just... couldn't leave it out there for someone to come across it. That was it. He didn't think it actually had the capabilities it boasted, but after reading through the books' supposed 'rules', Light finds it hard to believe that it would be a joke of some sort. How would he even be able to be sure of it? Killing innocents wasn't something he seemed very fond of, and it was most definitely not how his father would have liked to see things play out. He lifts the book above his head, watching the cover slightly glisten in the candlelight. The storm outside was raging, and the harsh whispering of the wind felt as if it would remind him of its presence. Light smiles a bit. Maybe there was something wrong with him for being so morbidly curious, or perhaps not. Thunder cracks, the rolling sound easing through the room.

"Do you really hold the power to kill, little book?" He mumbles, tiredness creeping up slowly on him.

**"Why don't you try it and see?"**

Light jerks his attention to the source of the grating voice, and screams.

The sliding door soon opens, his mother rushing to his side. "Is Light-kun okay?!"

Visibly shaken, he sees the small dagger clutched in his mother's hand. "I..." He looks up at her, gathering his breath. "I... I'll be fine. The night is playing tricks on me..."

Her eyes soften. "You were scared?"

Light turns a bit, mostly to hide the book. "...It is... possible." He smiles softly when she runs her fingers through his hair. "But it's nothing to worry about, go back to sleep mother."

They sit for awhile in the ambient silence, until she finally leaves him with a gentle kiss on the forehead. 

"So," He says to the emptiness. "She can't see you?"

The creature twists its lips into some parody of a smile, nodding. 

That's what the book brought him, that accursed thing that hovered close. It smelled of rot and decay, something it rivaled only with its appearance. A Shinigami, one of the Gods of Death.


End file.
